Skip to main content

Sony’s PlayStation Vue live TV streaming service shuts down in January

PlayStation Vue, Sony’s internet-based live TV streaming service, is about to be no more. According to a statement from Sony, PlayStation Vue will shut down on January 30, 2020, ending an almost four-year run.

Sony says its decision to end PlayStation Vue is based on “expensive content and network deals,” a marketplace that’s been slow to adapt to the rise of live TV streaming, and a desire to focus more on Sony’s “core gaming business.” PlayStation Vue’s closure comes as Sony is prepping for the release of the PlayStation 5, which is expected to arrive in time for the 2020 holiday season.

Reportedly, Vue has been rocky for a while. Last July, Sony increased prices on all Vue packages by $5 to combat rising content fees, making the already pricey service even more expensive. Just a few days ago, news arrived that Sony wanted to sell its PlayStation Vue division, claiming that the service was losing money. It seems that Sony’s seven-figure asking price was too high, however, as Vue will now close entirely.

PlayStation Vue’s closure leaves the PlayStation 4 without any live TV streaming services, although that could change. Because of Vue, Sony refused to let competitors like Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV establish apps on the console.

Sony notes that PlayStation 4 owners can still watch TV and movies through the PlayStation Store, which offers a number of programs for rent and purchase, and traditional streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. However, without Vue to worry about, it seems likely that Sony will open the doors to third-party TV services in the near future.

PlayStation Vue was one of the most expensive live TV streaming services on the market, with subscription packages ranging from $50 to $85 in price. However, it was also one of the most full-featured. Vue was the only service to support fast-forwarding through commercials on every network, offered the big four networks (FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS) to a majority of subscribers, and let customers run five simultaneous streams at no extra cost.  It wasn’t just limited to PlayStation 4 consoles, either. PlayStation Vue ran on Fire TV devices, Roku boxes, and more.

Editors' Recommendations

Chris Gates
Contributor
Christopher Gates lives in Los Angeles, CA and writes about movies, TV, video games, and other pop culture curiosities. In…
Xbox Games Showcase can succeed where the PlayStation Showcase struggled
Senua stares ahead wearing war paint.

If there’s one video game presentation happening over the next week that has the most to prove, it’s the Xbox Games Showcase. Despite a strong start to the year with Hi-Fi Rush and a solid Developer Direct showcase, Microsoft’s gaming branch has floundered in recent months because of struggles with its acquisition of Activision Blizzard and the rocky launch of Redfall. With the Xbox Games Showcase and Starfield Direct Double Feature, Microsoft must reconfirm its commitment to gaming and to releasing high-quality first-party exclusives.

That said, Xbox is in an excellent position to do just that because of Sony’s underwhelming May showcase. As the first major gaming presentation of the summer, Sony had the chance to “win” the whole game reveal season early with its PlayStation Showcase. Ultimately, that live stream proved disappointing because of its focus on CGI reveal trailers and live service games.

Read more
PlayStation Showcase teased Sony’s live service future, but I’m not impressed yet
playstation showcase live service games reveals marathon

Ahead of the May 2023 PlayStation Showcase, I wrote that the presentation needed to “elicit confidence in Sony’s future with live service.” Well, multiplayer-focused live service games did end up being a big part of the show, but I can’t say I’m that confident in them yet.
Between neat looks at single-player exclusives like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Synapse, Sony revealed four live-service games that it's publishing. Those games are Haven Studios’ Fairgame$, Arrowhead Studios’ Helldivers 2, Bungie’s Marathon, and Firewalk Studios’ Concord. The fact that these accounted for almost every major first-party announcements of the show signals that we’re entering a new era for Sony: one where multiplayer rules.
Over the past year or so, PlayStation Studios has made it very clear that it’s trying to break into the games-as-a-service sector now that it’s perfected the single-player adventure with games like Horizon Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarok. Unfortunately, these early live service announcements raised more concerns than hope, which isn’t a great start when it comes to establishing a new direction for PlayStation.
A live service showcase
Haven’s sci-fi PvPvE heist game Fairgame$ was the PlayStation Showcase’s opening, and honestly, it wasn’t a memorable first showing. The trailer was purely cinematic, but its shots were composed like they were live gameplay. That still feels misleading 18 years after Sony did it with Killzone 2, even if it clarified it at the start of the trailer. It also means I don’t have a good idea of how this game will be structured and when I’ll have a chance to play it. All I know is that this is an anti-capitalist game that will probably also be a heavily monetized live service experience. It wasn’t a strong show opener; at least, like all of the other titles on this list, it’s also coming to PC.

Fairgame$ was followed up by the long-awaited reveal of Helldivers 2, a sequel to an entertaining 2015 PS Plus sci-fi top-down shooter. To Helldivers 2’s credit, it had the most honest-feeling showing of these games, with a trailer that showed lots of impressive third-person action gameplay and even gave a 2023 release window. Even if its anti-capitalist undertones were a bit similar to Fairgame$, this was the style of reveal I was hoping to see from Sony’s live service announcements. Unfortunately, it was the only live service game reveal to feature any actual gameplay.
After a break from live service announcements, Bungie emerged to reveal that it was reviving Marathon as a sci-fi PvP extraction shooter. While it’s very surprising to see Marathon coming back and that Bungie is making something other than Destiny, it was a purely cinematic trailer that leaned into its techno-futuristic aesthetics -- much like Fairgame$’s reveal trailer. A dev diary released after the reveal also says that we’ll need to wait a while to learn more and see gameplay. But you can buy a $77 shirt based on this game we don’t know much about yet, though.

Read more
The most exciting PlayStation Showcase trailers you shouldn’t miss
A planet floats in the sky in Marathon.

Sony returned to its long-form PlayStation Showcase format today with an hourlong reveal stream showing off what's next for the PlayStation 5. The stream was filled with plenty of exciting announcements, from a remake of Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater to a spectacular Marvel's Spider-Man 2 trailer. Those were just a few of the games shown off during the stream though, which was packed with trailers.

There was a lot to see and no one would blame you if you missed a few things during the hour. From astonishing indie games from celebrated studios to a mysterious new project from Bungie, these are the trailers you need to catch up on if you missed the show.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Gameplay Reveal

Read more